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Home / Life&Culture / Ronan Farrow on Harvey Weinstein’s Arrest: ‘This is a Moment of Vindication’

Ronan Farrow on Harvey Weinstein’s Arrest: ‘This is a Moment of Vindication’

Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2018 by Dennis Edwards

Ronan Farrow on Harvey Weinstein’s Arrest: ‘This is a Moment of Vindication’

This morning, Harvey Weinstein arrived at the 1st precinct police station in New York City to turn himself in to face charges of rape and sex abuse.

After the arraignment, his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, announced that Weinstein intends to plead not guilty. "Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances", reads the statement.

Numerous women, including several celebrities, have come forward with allegations that Weinstein repeatedly engaged in unwanted, inappropriate and aggressive sexual behavior since reports of his serial misconduct first surfaced past year.

For months, criminal probes in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, New York City and London - as well as a federal investigation disclosed this week -had been investigating more than 20 allegations against him.

It was the moment the #MeToo movement had been waiting for: HarveyWeinstein in handcuffs. Officials have ordered him to wear a tracking device and remain in NY or CT.

CNN's source said Weinstein will be charged will "first- and third-degree rape in one case and a first-degree sex act in a second case". Investigators decided not to charge him even though there was an audiotape of Mr Weinstein accepting he had touched Ms Battilana's breasts and pledging not to do so again. "I thank the fearless survivors who have come forward, and my Office's prosecutors who have worked tirelessly on this investigation", said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.in a statement.

The victim in the rape case has not been publicly identified. Evans, a former college student and aspiring actress, says she was forced to perform oral sex on Weinstein in 2004 despite repeatedly telling him "no".

According to the criminal complaint released by the Manhattan District Attorney's office, Weinstein, 66, "grabbed the back of informant's head forcing her head downward and forced her mouth onto his penis" in 2004 inside an address in Manhattan where Weinstein kept an office. "None of this was consensual", she said.

Ronan Farrow on Harvey Weinstein’s Arrest: ‘This is a Moment of Vindication’

"This wasn't a smile to say, 'Be on my side, ' or 'Hey, I'm innocent.' It was weird and suggestive that he may feel he is going to get away with this or that I've gotten away with this for this long", she explains. He overpowered me. I just sort of gave up. I told you 20 years ago if I heard of you doing this to another girl or woman we would come for you.

In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance called the women who pressed charges "brave" and referred to the investigation into Weinstein's behavior "ongoing". The New York Times and The New Yorker magazine were the first to report the accusations.

In its documentary Weinstein, FRONTLINE investigated the culture of silence and complicity that enabled Weinstein to continue a pattern of alleged harassment that spanned decades. "Imagine how exhausted we are of it, and by we, I mean most of the world who has been assaulted or attacked".

Some of Hollywood's biggest names have admitted they knew about Weinstein's misconduct. It's also possible that more charges will appear during the next hearing.

"There'd be times when you'd be kicked out of the suite at the Savoy or the Peninsula Hotel in L.A., and he would entertain", he said. "I think the world could use that face being gone".

"TodayHarvey Weinstein will take his first step on his inevitable descent to hell". They agreed not to speak about the incident in exchange for a financial settlement of around $200,000 each and measures that would protect Miramax employees from harassment.

In another tweet, she shared a BBC clip of Weinstein walking into the police station and wrote, "What took you so long Harvey?" "This wasn't a normal confidentiality agreement".

'You know who you are. "This was a deeply, personally binding agreement". The case has been adjourned until July 30.